1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a dispensing apparatus. More specifically, this invention relates to a cable dispensing apparatus for dispensing cables, such as electrical cable, telephone cable wire, and the like from large reels wherein the apparatus is capable of positioning the payout reel both vertically and horizontally to facilitate removal of the cable by an operator for subsequent measurement and cutting operations associated with transferring a specific length of the cable to a take-up reel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the broadest sense, the function of cable handling equipment is to dispense and measure a given length of cable as necessitated by the demands of a particular application. Because cable is generally purchased in bulk on large reels weighing as much as 20,000 pounds, it is generally also necessary that the cable handling equipment be capable of transferring the cable from a very large reel, as provided by the manufacturer, to a smaller reel which the end user can more easily transport for field applications and handle for use in manufacturing applications. This is particularly true where the cable is very large and bulky, such as telephone cable installed in the field by the telephone industry.
An example of cable handling equipment known in the prior art is illustrated in FIG. 1. A cable dispensing unit 110, shown in a group of four units, is provided onto which a large reel 116 is rotatably secured by an axle 124. The axle 124 is mounted to reel supports 122 which are constructed to be able to suspend the large reel 116 above the floor. Cable 120 is dispensed from the large reel 116 and, conventionally, fed to a cable cutting unit 112 for measuring and cutting the desired length of cable 120 needed for a particular application. In order to be cost-efficient, the cable cutting unit 112 is typically assigned to a group of four cable dispensing units 110, as shown in FIG. 1, though a single unit can also be employed where desired. Accordingly, it is necessary to mount the cable cutting unit 112 on a rail or otherwise make the cable cutting unit 112 movable in front of the group of cable dispensing units 110 to enable the cable cutting unit 112 to be positioned directly in front of a particular cable dispensing unit 110. This operation requires an operator 126 who normally operates the cable cutting unit 112 and positions the cable cutting unit 112 as required. The operator 126 typically has additional tasks when operating the cable dispensing units 110 of the prior art, as will be explained more fully below. Once fed through the cable cutting unit 112 and cut to the desired length, the cable 120 is collected onto a take-up reel 114 for transporting the cable 120 to the job site.
The cable 120 is generally purchased by the user on a large reel 116, referred to as a payout reel, to allow cost-efficient bulk purchases. Consequently, the payout reels 116 are extremely heavy and awkward to handle and the cable dispensing unit 110 must be adequately suited for such conditions. Because the payout reels 116 are available in various sizes typically ranging from 42 to 96 inches in diameter, the cable dispensing unit 110 must also be able to accept variations in weight and reel diameter. Accordingly, the reel supports 122 of the cable dispensing unit 110 must be able to move vertically to ensure that payout reels 116 of most conventional sizes will be sufficiently lifted off the ground so that they can rotate freely to dispense the cable 120. Such operation requires a suitable system for actuating the reel supports 122 between a lower position for loading the payout reel 116 and a raised position for dispensing the cable 120. Typically a hydraulic actuation system (not shown) is employed because of its suitability to manufacturing conditions. Alternatively, a forklift can be employed to lift the payout reel 116 to the reel supports 122, but due to the size and weight of the payout reel 116 such approach can be awkward and dangerous.
In the typical cable dispensing unit 110, the hydraulic system is stowed in a cabinet 118 on the side of the cable dispensing unit 110 facing the cable cutting unit 112 to protect the hydraulic system from the equipment used to bring and remove the payout reels 116 from the cable dispensing unit 110. This arrangement, compounded with the need to accommodate various sizes of payout reels 116, generally places the payout reel 116 some distance from the operator 126 when standing between the cable dispensing unit 110 and the cable cutting unit 112, as can be seen from FIG. 1. Therefore, the procedure for transferring a length of cable 120 from a payout reel 116 to a take-up reel 114 generally entails the following time consuming steps.
The payout reels 116 are first loaded into the cable dispensing unit 110 by an assistant operating a forklift or the like. Then, the operator 126 selects the particular payout reel 116 holding the specific size cable 120 needed consistent with a job order. The operator 126 then moves the cable cutting unit 112 laterally until it is in front of the corresponding cable dispensing unit 110. Because of the operator's location 126 it is impossible for the operator to address the payout reel 116 from the position between the dispensing unit 110 and the cable cutting unit 112 since the location of the payout reel 116 is too far away to enable the operator 126 to simply reach over and grab the end of the desired cable 120 from the payout reel 116. The operator 126 must walk around the group of four cable dispensing units 110 to the backside of the corresponding cable dispensing unit 110 and gain access to the cable end. Typically, a thermal wrap (not shown) of protecting the cable wound on the payout reel 116 from moisture, heat and ultraviolet rays must be removed from the payout reel 116 to gain access to the cable end, which is secured to the payout reel 116 by a tie-down device (not shown) or the like. The operator must then feed the cable end over the cable dispensing unit 110 in any convenient manner and return to the front of the four cable dispensing units 110. The cable 120 is then pulled, by the operator, causing the payout reel 116 to rotate to dispense the cable 120. Because the payout reel 116 is extremely heavy, considerable effort by the operator 126 is sometimes necessary to pull the cable 120 from the payout reel 116 to the cable cutting unit 112. The operator 126 then feeds the cable 120 into the cable cutting unit 112, which pulls a predetermined length of cable 120 through and collects the desired length onto the take-up reel 114 whereafter it is cutoff by the cable cutting apparatus. The operator 126 must then again walk to the backside of the cable dispensing unit 110 and rotate the payout reel 116 in reverse rotation to again collect the remaining cable 120 and secure the cable end to the payout reel 116.
From the above discussion, it can be readily appreciated that the cable dispensing units known to the prior art require considerable time and effort by the operator to transfer a desired length of cable from a payout reel to a take-up reel. Further, the prior art does not teach or suggest a cable dispensing unit which is able to reduce the distance between the operator and the payout reel in order to eliminate the need for the operator to walk between the front and backside of the cable dispensing unit. Finally, the prior art does not teach or suggest a cable dispensing unit which can accommodate various diameters of payout reels while consistently positioning the payout reel a convenient distance from the operator.
Accordingly, what is needed is a cable dispensing apparatus capable of rotatably securing and positioning a payout reel within arms length from an operator standing between the cable dispensing apparatus and a cable cutting apparatus, while also providing power driven accessories for controlling the payout reel so as to minimize the degree of effort and amount of time demanded of the operator to transfer a length of cable from the payout reel to a take-up reel.